Head Comparison: Acoustic Image vs. Euphonic Audio

Can anyone give their impressions of how heads from Acoustic Image and Euphonic Audio compare? I'm contemplating an update of my amp rig, and the new Clarus 2 and iAmp 800 both have really caught my eye lately.

I currently use an Acoustic Image Contra with a Bergantino HT112 extension, although a used EA CXL 112 is currently en route to me )). My initial inclination is to stick with AI and go for a Clarus 2, but I am definietly intrigued by the impressive power/size ratio of the EA iAmp 800. I really like how the AI finds a great balance between neutrality and warmth, and I am interested to hear how EA heads compare to the AI heads.

Reference: I use a 15-year-old flatback German, red Spiros with medium action, a Realist pickup and a Fishman ProEQ preamp. I gig with a loud 7-piece group in bigger rooms and a piano trio in small-to-medium rooms.

I just noticed that Dave at http://www.clubbass.ca has just posted the weight on the EA 800 as 18 lbs. Pretty good for 800 watts into 4 Ohms, and I think they'll run at 2 Ohms. Soundwise, I've been very happy with my iAmp 600 -very neutral, but with the bottom end "push" and headroom that I sometimes need. You won't need your Fishman preamp as the input is piezo friendly. I've heard good things about the Clarus as well.
Laurence Mollerup

I'm one of the guys Bob mentioned who have an order in for the new iamp 800, even though I've not played an EA head yet. I'm currently using a Clarus, with both an EA CXL112 and a Bergantino 12 (the one with the tweeter) for louder gigs, and while that's a great rig, I need more clean headroom than the Clarus can give me. When things get loud, it's still clean and full, but it just sounds like it's working awfully hard. A friend of mine just bought a Clarus 2R, and I found it to be a great amp, lots more options because of the extra channel and FX, but not all that much more power than my regular Clarus.

If you have both the EA and Bergantino cabs, my feeling is that you're not getting full use of what they have to offer with only the current AI power. When I bought my Bergantino, I got to A/B both it and the EA between the Clarus and an Eden WT-1000 (1000 watt power amp). No contest, even at lower volumes. Having that much headroom adds a warmth and smoothness that you can't get any other way. It's like the difference between driving my 4 cylinder Honda Civic up a steep hill, and driving a 12 cylinder Jaguar up the same hill....both get you up the hill and nobody gets hurt, but the Civic will be huffing and puffing all the while while the Jag just kind of yawns while it's cruising. Plus, if you want to pass on that same hill, you can in the Jag.